1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a lever jig capable of fitting between a pair of connectors with a low manipulation force and a connector device using the same.
2. Related Art
There have been proposed various connector devices in each of which a pair of connectors is configured to be able to be fitted by being manipulated with a low manipulation force through manipulation of a lever (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-187863). Among the connector devices like this, there has been proposed one that has a lever detachably provided to a connector, i.e., as a lever jig. By employing a lever jig, it becomes possible to carry out the work of fitting a plurality of connector devices and to actualize reduction of parts cost and the like. Examples related to such lever jigs and connector devices using thereof are illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4. An explanation will be given below.
A connector device 100 is provided with a lever jig 101, and a female connector 120 and a male connector 130, which are a pair of connectors, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
The lever jig 101 is provided with a connector attachment portion 102 and a lever body 110, which is supported by the connector attachment portion 102 so as to be freely movable, as specifically illustrated in FIG. 2. The connector attachment portion 102 has a pair of side walls 103 and a joint wall portion 104 joining thereof. On the top ends of the pair of side walls 103, there are provided upper stopper pieces 103a inwardly protruding to each other. The pair of side walls 103 are configured so that the female connector 120 is enabled to be inserted into the inside thereof from the bottom face side. In each of the pair of side walls 103, there are provided connector engagement lugs 105 inwardly protruding at plural locations. On the outer surface of the pair of side walls 103, a pair of support pins 106 are provided so as to protrude. In the pair of side walls 103, there are provided a pair of temporary engagement holes 107 and are also provided guide slits 108 which are communicated to the temporary engagement holes 107, respectively. In each of the pair of side walls 103 and underneath the temporary engagement hole 107, there is provided a lever stopper portion 109 so as to protrude.
The lever body 110 is provided with a pair of arm portions 111 and a manipulation portion 112, which joins between the pair of arm portions 111 at the top ends thereof. On the inner face side of the pair of arm portions 111, a pair of pin receiving holes 113 are provided. The pair of support pins 106 of the connector attachment portion 102 are inserted into the pair of pin receiving holes 113. The lever body 110 is thereby enabled to rotate in between a fitting manipulation start position and a fitting manipulation completion position, taking the pair of support pins 106 as fulcrums. On the inner side of the pair of arm portions 111, a pair of boss attracting grooves 114 are provided. The pair of arm portions 111 each have a temporary engagement lug 115 provided so as to inwardly protruding. At the position where the lever body 110 impinges to the lever stopper portions 109, the temporary engagement lugs 115 are engaged with the temporary engagement holes 107. This position is the fitting manipulation start position of the lever body 110 (refer to FIG. 1).
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the female connector 120 and the male connector 130 are provided so as to be able to be fitted to/separated from each other. The female connector 120 and the male connector 130 respectively have a plurality of terminals (not illustrated), and, in the state in which both are fitted to each other, the plurality of terminals (not illustrated) of both of them are in contact with each other. In an upper portion of the female connector 120, there are provided flange portions 121 protruding from the both sides thereof. The male connector 130 has a connector fitting room 131, the top of which is opened. On the both side faces of the male connector 130, there are provided a pair of boss portions 132 and also a pair of temporary-engagement-release guide ribs 133 so as to protrude.
Next, the work of fitting the female connector 120 and the male connector 130 to each other will be described. The lever body 110 of the lever jig 101 is assumed to be set at the fitting manipulation start position. The female connector 120 is first inserted from the bottom face side of the connector attachment portion 102 of the lever jig 101. Upon insertion up to the full insertion position, the respective connector engagement lugs 105 of the connector attachment portion 102 are engaged to the flange portion 121 of the female connector 120. The lever jig 101 and the female connector 120 are thereby joined to each other.
Next, the female connector 120 is inserted to the connector fitting room 131 of the male connector 130. Then, the temporary-engagement-release guide ribs 133 of the male connector 130 cause the temporary engagement lugs 115 to be displaced to the release positions, by which rotary manipulation of the lever body 110 is enabled. Then, the pair of boss portions 132 of the male connector 130 come into the pair of boss attracting grooves 114 of the lever body 110. Thus, the female connector 120 and the male connector 130 are set at the fitting start position.
Next, a rotating manipulation of the lever body 110 from the fitting manipulation start position to the side of the fitting manipulation completion position is executed. Then, the pair of boss portions 132 of the male connector 130 move in the pair of boss attracting grooves 114 of the lever body 110, and the male connector 130 is attracted to the female connector 120. That is, the male connector 130 moves to the fitting position side. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the lever body 110 comes close to the fitting manipulation completion position as the rotating manipulation thereof advances, the left and right upper ends of the male connector 130 impinge to the respective connector engagement lugs 105 of the connector attachment portion 102. When the lever body 110 is further rotated to the fitting manipulation completion position from this situation, the male connector 130 is attracted to the fitting completion position and concurrently the respective connector engagement lugs 105 are brought to be displaced to the release positions. The work of fitting the female connector 120 and the male connector 130 is hence completed. Since the respective connector engagement lugs 105 are placed at the release positions, the lever jig 101 is able to be detached from the female connector 120.